The White House Agenda on IranKinzer said today: "Continuing to argue over details of whether Iran is or is not complying with each of its commitments to the IAEA leads us to miss the larger point. The more concerned the outside world is about Iran's behavior -- whether about Iran's nuclear program, its support for militant groups in the Middle East, its repression of civil society or other issues -- the more urgent the case for negotiation becomes. - 2/29/08

Camp Ayandeh 2008 Camp Ayandeh 2008, taking place at Emory University on June 22-28, 2008, is open to rising high school sophomores through graduating high school seniors. - 2/29/08

NIAC Memo: IAEAS Latest Iran Report: Time to Move onThe latest IAEA safeguards report on Irans nuclear activities is an important report that brings an end to almost all the technical issues that in the past five years have concerned the IAEA regarding Irans declared civilian nuclear program. As such, it provides a good backdrop for the need to move beyond the current deadlock. -Farideh Farhi, NIAC - 2/29/08

Persian New Year Festival in Houston The fourth Annual Persian New Year Festival will be held on Sunday March 23, 2008 from 1:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Jones Plaza in downtown Houston, Texas. This program is organized by the Iranian-American Cultural Organization of Houston, a non-profit cultural organization. - 2/29/08

UN: Action Needed Against Unproven HIV/AIDS TreatmentsAlso in 2007, the president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, announced the discovery of "IMOD" (an abbreviation for "immuno-modulator drug"), an herbal AIDS treatment made from seven local Iranian herbs. -Human Rights Watch - 2/29/08

Oversight group warns world about Iran's banking systemOn Iran, the language of the Financial Action Task Force's statement is indirect, in that it simply calls on banks and other institutions to take the risk of the Tehran government's "deficiencies" in controlling money laundering and financial support for terrorism into account and to exercise "due diligence" in dealing with Iran. -IHT - 2/29/08

U.S. sends warship off Lebanon coastSignalling impatience with Syria, the United States has sent its USS Cole warship off the coast of Lebanon in a show of support amid Beirut's political crisis, U.S. officials said on Thursday. -Reuters - 2/29/08

A Letter to Google: It's Persian GulfIt has come to our attention that Google is including "Arabian Gulf" as a synonym or alternative term for the Persian Gulf on its Google Earth maps. -Persian Gulf Online - 2/28/08

Iran: Activists Condemn Workers' Lashing SentencesLabor rights activists and prominent human rights figures have condemned the lashing sentences that have been handed down in recent weeks to 11 workers in the Iranian province of Kurdistan. -RFE - 2/28/08

Iran, decide for yourself: A video by Germán Vogel, Santiago, ChileThis is a video I did as a Chilean uni student not linked to Iran by anything but my personal choice. As a cultures lover, I became interested in Iran as a nation that develops a uniquely organic society based on family, social cohesion, beautiful traditions and religion. - 2/28/08

Javier Clemente accepts Iran's conditionJavier Clemente inches towards becoming the coach of Iran's national team after accepting the football federation's condition that he should live in Iran. -Press TV - 2/28/08

China Signs Oil Deal with Iranian Company China is maintaining its position that it does not support actions against Iran that "undermine normal trade and economic cooperation." Even as the United Nations maneuvers toward a vote on expanded sanctions against Iran - which Beijing has reportedly approved - China's main offshore oil and gas company is reported to have signed a $16 billion deal to develop an Iranian gas field. -VOA - 2/28/08

Iran: Authorities must support, not suppress women The Iranian authorities should cease their harassment of women human rights defenders and take urgent steps to dismantle the discriminatory legislation they are seeking to change, Amnesty International said in a report published today. - 2/28/08

Iran: Activist 'Dynamic Duo' Fight for Human RightsHe's spent almost a third of his life in prison as a political dissident. She's been arrested many times on myriad charges. Together, Taqi Rahmani and Narges Mohammadi are a dynamic duo of political activism -- husband-and-wife "superheroes" fighting human rights abuses by Iran's theocratic regime. -RFE - 2/28/08

U.S. Weighs Sanctions On Iran's Central BankThe Treasury Department is gathering evidence it says shows that the central bank of Iran is helping other Iranian institutions elude U.S. economic sanctions, in what could be a prelude to penalties against the central bank. -WSJ - 2/28/08

US-Libya Rapprochement StallsIn 2003, the United States held up Libya as an example of a rehabilitated rogue state after Tripoli renounced terrorism and scrapped its weapons of mass destruction programs. But attempts to forge closer bonds between the United States and Libya have stalled. -VOA - 2/28/08

The Clouds are Stalling!This article was written by Nasim Khosravi in honor of Maryam Hosseinkhah and Jelve Javaheri, who at that time, were in Evin Prison. In the article, Nasim Khosravi wonders about who will be the next member of the Campaign to be imprisoned, not knowing that she would be next. - 2/27/08

Dr S.J. Shahidi's 40th at Dehkhoda in TehranI could hardly believe that it has already been 35 days since Dr Shahidi's passing when Shokoufeh Shahidi my friend called to invite me to his 40th ceremony at Dehkhoda, last Thursday from 3-5. Time has passed so quickly despite the cold. -Syma Sayyah, Tehran - 2/27/08

Noam Chomsky: Why is Iraq Missing from 2008 Presidential Race?In a major address, Noam Chomsky says there has been little change in the conventional debate over a US invasion abroad: from Vietnam to Iraq, the two main political parties and political pundits differ only on the tactics of US goals, which are assumed to be legitimate. -Democracy Now - 2/27/08

Stopping the New Arms RaceThe White House will do everything it can to push its reckless, European-based missile defense plan forward. -The Nation - 2/27/08

Former hostage writes US-Iran negotiation guideAmbassador John Limbert was one of the 52 US diplomats held hostage at the US Embassy in Iran in 1980. 28 years later he has written a guide for US diplomats on negotiating with the Iranians. -Arash Hadjialiloo, NIAC - 2/27/08

New Propaganda Piece Hits Iranian AirwavesIn the new millennium and in light of incredible advancements in technology from global satellite TVs to internet and blogs, the Iranian regime has found itself searching for ways to discredit any genuine movement for democracy by relying on expectedly absurd conspiracy theories to link any opposition to the American government. -Huffington Post - 2/27/08

Iran reverses ban on water pipesIran has allowed water pipes to reappear in tea houses, whose owners complained a recent ban on health grounds was putting them out of business, press reports said on Tuesday. -AFP - 2/27/08

Selling Persian Carpets On Italian TV Is A PassionGermany and the United States are the countries that buy the most Persian rugs, each year taking about 50 percent of Iran's exports. But it is Italy, the third biggest consumer, which seems to love them the most. -Charles Recknagelis, Tea and Carpets Blogspot - 2/26/08

Major Powers Reaffirm Two-Track Iran Nuclear StrategySenior diplomats of major world powers, meeting in Washington Monday, reaffirmed a two-track strategy on the Iran nuclear issue. They are pursuing new sanctions in the U.N. Security Council while also offering Tehran negotiations. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department. - 2/26/08

Iran's Supreme Leader praises Ahmadinejad for "nuclear success"Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei here on Tuesday said the Iranian nation's courage, steadfastness and constant presence on the scene accounted for the glory of the system, the country's progress in various spheres and its great success in the nuclear field. -IRNA - 2/26/08

Iraqi ambassador: MKO presence not permanentIraqi Ambassador to Tehran Mohammad Majeed al-Sheikh said here on Tuesday that the presence of members of the terrorist Mujahideen Khalq Organization (MKO) in Iraq is not permanent. -IRNA - 2/26/08

EGYPT: Taking aim at ignorance about HIV/AIDSEight Egyptian men who were arrested and forced to undergo HIV tests, and the subsequent torture of the two who tested HIV-positive, has unleashed a storm of controversy in a country where people still know very little about the virus. -IRIN - 2/26/08

Iraqi Kurds Concerned about Turkish Incursion Turkey's military said they have killed 41 Kurdish rebels Monday for a total 153 rebels and 17 Turkish soldiers killed during fighting in northern Iraqi Kurdistan. Iraq's national security adviser has expressed concern that Turkey's attacks in Iraq may lead to a clash with Iraq's Kurdish security forces. -VOA - 2/26/08

EU attacks Iran's new penal codeThe European Union has criticised the new penal code being drafted in Iran, particularly a section that imposes the death penalty for giving up Islam. -BBC - 2/26/08

A Hidden elegant and Cosy Italian Oasis in North Tehran We had heard about a new Italian restaurant from our good friends Mario and Fellicetta so with a few other friends we decided to try it out and last night despite the heavy snow showers we went to the Niloo Italian Restaurant which is part of the Niloo Hotel Apartments near Vanak Square. -Syma Sayyah, Tehran - 2/25/08

The limit of Obama's imaginationAt a time when Obama's moral voice was most needed, the reach of his wings proved to be cautiously perforated on an AIPAC line, writes Hamid Dabashi - 2/25/08

Sanctions: A Colonizers ToolOnce again the Bush administration is leading the pack to impose a third round of sanctions on Iran although Tehran has cooperated with the IAEA. However, they have failed to prove a negative to the satisfaction of Mr. Bush as reported to him by it would seem, the government's favorite informants, the MEK; a terrorist cult who had a hand in the US embassy takeover in Iran and the murder of American civilians -Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich - 2/25/08

Immigrants sue to speed citizenship applicationsMohammad Barikbin came to the USA in 1988 and says he has spent every day since then fulfilling the American dream. The Iranian immigrant started a catering business in Philadelphia, then a taxi company and a taxi call center, all while investing in real estate. -USA Today - 2/25/08

Iran's 'diagnosed transsexuals'Homosexual relationships are banned in Iran, but the country allows sex change operations and hundreds of men have elected for surgery to change their lives. -BBC - 2/25/08

Oakland East Bay Symphony Celebrates Persian MusicEver since Western music was introduced to Iran in the mid-nineteenth century, Iranian composers have blended Western and Middle Eastern musical traditions. Due to the political turmoil of the past century, these works are often difficult to obtain and are thus rarely performed. - 2/24/08

Iran's UN Mission issues statement on IAEA reportThe latest report of the IAEA Director General on 22 February 2008, which plainly declares the implementation of the Work Plan (INFCIRC/711) and thus resolution of all outstanding issues, serves as the clearest evidence ever coming from the Agency, unambiguously attesting to the exclusively peaceful nature of the nuclear program of the Islamic Republic of Iran, both in the past and at present. - 2/24/08

Preventing Future Nuclear CatastrophesThe bottom line is: Nuclear weapons do not make us safer. US reliance on these weapons sets the standard for the world. Right now the US appears content to promote nuclear double standards, one standard for ourselves and our friends and another for our perceived enemies. -David Krieger and Stanley K. Sheinbaum - 2/24/08

Iran: Halt Execution of Juvenile OffenderThe head of Iran's judiciary, Ayatollah Shahrudi, should immediately order a stay of execution for Mohammad Reza Haddadi, who was sentenced to death for a crime that he allegedly committed at the age of 15, Human Rights Watch said today. - 2/24/08

Tehran Mayor: Iran ready to reconstruct BaghdadVisiting Tehran Mayor announced Iran's readiness to reconstruct Baghdad at a dinner party thrown in his honor by Head of Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution of Iraq, Abdel-Aziz al-Hakim. -IRNA - 2/24/08

Is Iran Winning the Iraq War?Despite its very public saber-rattling against Iran, however, the United States has spent most of the past five years in a de facto alliance with Iran in support of the Shiite-led (and US-installed) regime in Baghdad. The most powerful component of that regime, the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI) and its disciplined Badr Corps militia, is also Iran's closest Iraqi ally. -Nation - 2/23/08

What Would It Take to Launch a War With Iran?Iraq should have cured President George W. Bush of any further itch for starting a war. And yet there comes a rumble for an attack on Iran. Opposing this, the Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation sends out emissaries, several of whom visited The Seattle Times. - 2/23/08

Afghanistan: New Party To Focus On Women's RightsFor nearly three decades, Afghans have endured war and foreign occupation, extreme poverty, and the Taliban. Yet some suffer more than others. Not all Afghans are created equal. Fatima Nazari wants to change that. -RFE - 2/23/08

Iran Raises the Heat in AfghanistanAfghanistan is in a tough spot. The country is reliant on the U.S. and NATO for its security and, at the same time, shares its longest land border with Iran. Afghanistan has long pleaded with the U.S. and Iran not to carry out their longstanding strategic rivalry on its soil. -TIME - 2/23/08

Snake Oil Sellers of the Christian Right?The U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs came under heavy criticism earlier this month from Muslim and religious freedom advocacy groups after it invited to a conference three self-professed former terrorists with strong links to the Christian right. -IPS - 2/23/08

IAEA Director General issues new report on IranIAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei today circulated his latest report on nuclear safeguards in Iran to the Agency´s Board of Governors, the 35-member policymaking body. The report outlines developments since the Director General´s report of 15 November 2007. - 2/22/08

An extremely cold winter in IranDuring 18 days from 10 to 27 January 2008, the minimum temperature in Tehran was continuously less than -5ºC; the lowest temperature recorded was -11ºC, while the maximum temperature was below 0ºC for 12 days. The lowest temperature recorded in Iran during this period was -32ºC. - 2/22/08

IAPAC to Hold Northern California Norouz CelebrationThe Iranian American Political Action Committee (IAPAC) will hold its biannual Northern California Norouz celebration on March 9th, 2008. The event, entitled "Honoring the Contributions of Iranian Americans to American society," will recognize the accomplishments of Iranian Americans in the fields of arts and entertainment, community service, and government service. - 2/22/08

Diplomacy for WarReuel Marc Gerecht's opinion piece in the New York Times yesterday titled 'Attack Iran, With Words' advocating diplomacy with Iran may have taken some readers including this one by surprise given his resident fellowship credentials at the American Enterprise Institute. -Daniel M Pourkesali - 2/22/08

Picasso would like PersepolisWritten by an Iranian immigrant to France, Persepolis is the autobiographical life story of the author, Marjane Satrapi, a truly artistic and visionary woman with rare courage. Her ability to take extremely intense and confusing subjects such as Marxism, Leninism, dictatorship, democracy, theocracy, freedom, rebellion, materialism, sex, love, drugs, cultural differences and more, and accommodate them inside a short book of diagrams and a two-hour animated movie, is indeed ingenious......Persepolis is the story of all of us - Mehr Jay Shahidi - 2/22/08

Norouz , London, Iran Heritage FoundationNorouz in essence celebrates the magic of life and acknowledges the balance of forces in nature, while mortals hope that the year ahead would be peaceful, devoid of illness and prosperous. - 2/22/08

Iraq, Iran Agree to Restore Border PostsIraqi and Iranian officials have agreed to restore border posts ahead of the Iranian president's first state visit. The countries fought a bloody war over the border and relations continue to be strained by accusations Iran is supporting Shiite terrorists inside Iraq. -VOA - 2/22/08

Iran makes bid for two Indian oil tenders Iranian Offshore Engineering and Construction Company (IOECC) participated in two tenders in the offshore sector of India's oil industry, managing director of IOECC announced here Friday. Mas'ud Soltanpur rated each project worth at over 1.1 billion dollars. -MNA - 2/22/08

Iran's Malign Role In IraqAdmiral Smith told reporters that the message Iran should hear about security in Iraq is clear: We have been as transparent as we can [be] up here publicly with you regarding Iran's malign influence in Iraq over the years. And I would suggest that we'll be equally transparent in our discussions with Iran if and when those talks take place." - VOA - 2/22/08

Iranians spar with Israel at UNIran is urging the UN Security Council to stop Israel threatening military action against its nuclear programme. -BBC - 2/22/08

Appeal for an Iranian homosexual refugee seeking asylum in Malaysia My name is Sepehr [alias used]. I was born and raised in Iran, a country that kills people for falling in love. My government kills homosexuals by asserting we are an enemy of GOD. My president denies us even our existence as human beings when he claimed there are no homosexuals in Iran during his speech at Colombia University. -IRQO - 2/21/08

Journalist sentenced to death in Iran, accused of terrorismA judiciary spokesman, Alireza Jamshidi, told reporters that the journalist, Yaghoob Mirnehad, had been sentenced to death on charges of "membership in the terrorist Jundallah group as well as crimes against national security," according to The Associated Press. The sentence can be appealed to the Supreme Court. - IHT - 2/21/08

Iran: Vetting Exacts Heavy Toll On Reformist Candidates Nearly one in three aspiring candidates has been excluded from Iran's parliamentary elections next month, including current and former officials and a grandson of revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. - RFE - 2/21/08

Group Claims Iran Speeding Up Nuke PlansAn exiled Iranian opposition group (NCRI is the political wing of the People's Mujahedeen of Iran) claimed Wednesday that Tehran was speeding up a program to develop nuclear weapons. "The Iran regime entered a new phase in its nuclear project," said Mohammad Mohaddessin of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran. WP - 2/21/08

Throwaways ChildrenThe phenomenon of runaway children is a very serious problem nowadays, but many of these children are not runaways at all, they are actually throwaways. Throwaway is a term that was recently invented by social workers to describe young children and adolescents who are unwanted or rejected by their families. - Mehr - 2/21/08

Who knows why oil prices are so high?Things such as the increasing demand from China and India, as well as fears that a stand-off between the US and Iran could interrupt supplies, have been raising oil prices. Alternatively, financial factors may be at work, such as a hedge fund having to sell a particular oil contract so it does not end up receiving a tanker-load of oil - or a trader deciding it would be fun to be the first to trade oil above $100 a barrel. - BBC - 2/21/08

PERCEIVED MIDDLE EASTERN ?! You are in deep trouble by the U.S. Government I, still with a dim glimmer of hope, had submitted this open letter to every organ of our government, from the White House, to Senate and the House leadership and various government departments, including the Office of the Attorney General. My hope was that perhaps impartial investigation would lead to the refining of our laws (e.g., Patriot Act, FISA, Military Act 2006, etc.) and government policies to safeguard every citizen's legal rights and due process. - PIROUZ AZADI - 2/20/08

Help Cyrus the Great ProjectFilmmaker Cyrus Kar was captured by U.S. forces in Iraq on May 17, 2005 and jailed in solitary confinement for nearly two months while filming his documentary "In search of Cyrus the Great" the founder of the greatest and most just Empire the world had ever seen. - 2/20/08

MP: Fundamentalist coalition list more rational than UFF'sAsked why the new fundamentalist coalition was founded, Khoshchehreh replied, "Opinion polls show that people's attitude toward fundamentalists is not what certain figures claim, so we felt it was necessary to form this coalition." - Mehr - 2/20/08

Tehran to host peaceful nuclear activities int'l conferenceNational and international experts will take part in the conference to examine the next report of the IAEA head on Iran's nuclear program, Iran's full cooperation with the agency and Iranians determination for utilizing peaceful nuclear energy. -ISNA - 2/20/08

JUST WANNA BE YOUR TEDDY BEAR !Four movies by prominent Iranian filmmakers were screened and competed for the Top Golden Bear Prize and several other categories including for Best Actor in at the 58th edition of the Berlin Film Festival in Germany. - 2/20/08

"Jan-i-Gal" screened in U.S. "Jan-i-Gal" has been selected to represent Iraq in the category of Best Foreign Language Film at the 80th Annual Academy Awards this year. - 2/20/08

Washington Theatre Group - DirtDirt is a powerful, dramatic and gripping melodrama that confronts prejudice and hatred. The award-winning play is directed by David Levin and stars Shahin Shakibi - University of Maryland - 2/20/08

Unforgivable behavior, inadmissible evidenceTwenty-Seven years ago, in the final days of the Iran hostage crisis, the CIA's Tehran station chief, Tom Ahern, faced his principal interrogator for the last time. -IHT - 2/20/08

Iranian fundamentalists preach in cyberspaceDiniblog.com , a website run by the Office of Weblog Expansion, based in the Iranian shrine city of Qom, is championing blogging as the latest state-of-the-art means of upholding and communicating revolutionary values. - Guardian - 2/19/08

As polls loom, Iran takes its battles into the blogosphereFor Mohammad-Ali Abtahi, blogging has become an outlet for the frustration of being in opposition. Every day tens of thousands of reform-minded Iranians log on to his website, one of the few places where they can keep up with the news of political change. FT - 2/19/08

Italian show lauds Iranian cartoonistsThree Iranian cartoonists have won prizes at the 40th edition of the international show of humorous graphics, Umoristi a Marostica, which was held recently in Vicenza, northeastern Italy. - Mehr - 2/19/08

Egypt summons Danish ambassador over cartoonsThe Egyptian government has summoned the ambassador of Denmark in Cairo to protest at the reprinting of cartoons lampooning the Prophet Mohammed in Danish newspapers, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday. - Reuters - 2/19/08

Iran bans female 'Schumacher'The 31-year-old sportswoman, nicknamed "Little Schumacher" is a minor celebrity in her native country. She has also become a poster girl for Iranian women seeking to better their lot. - BBC - 2/19/08

Iran allows reformist candidatesThe Iranian body that vets election candidates has reinstated another 251 people who had been banned from running in next month's parliamentary vote. - BBC - 2/19/08

Election fever in IranBy the beginning of February it became clear that nearly 90 percent of independent and reformist candidates wishing to run for the parliament had been disqualified by members of the Supervisory and Executive Election Boards charged with vetting candidates. Although practically everyone across the political spectrum had expected large-scale disqualifications, the scope of rejections surprised even the most hardened observers. - 2/19/08

Iran seek homegrown coach as Clemente drops outIran on Tuesday said they were looking for a homegrown coach after Javier Clemente rejected an offer to train the national football team after a row over his insistence on living at home in Spain rather than in the Islamic republic. - AFP - 2/19/08

Iraqi Deaths Pain Sharon StoneThe star of "Basic Instinct" and other movies criticized both Arab countries and Israel for failing to resolve their decades-long conflict. She said she also opposes any military conflict with Iran. - AP - 2/19/08

Israel complains to UN over Iranian general's remarksThe Foreign Ministry instructed the Israeli delegation to the UN on Monday to issue a letter of complaint and protest to the president of the Security Council regarding the comments made by General Mohammad Ali Jaafari, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. - Israel's ynetnews - 2/19/08

Iran launches Islamic radio service in EnglishRadio deputy manager Hassan Khojasteh, expressing his pleasure over the launching of the English department explained, "The world is in dire need of Islamic teachings to help people find the right path in life, so we must make use of this channel as a source of guidance." Mehr - 2/19/08

Nomadic Felt Carpets Seek A Place In Western HomesAlmost all the space for exhibiting handcrafted carpets at the annual Domotex trade show in Hannover (January 12  15) is devoted to woven rugs. But at one stand, an Italian textile design house is displaying something one rarely sees at carpet shows. It is a roughly-textured felt mat as big as a sheet and its surface is brightly painted with an abstract design. The look is similar to a painting in a modern art gallery. -Charles Recknagelis - 2/18/08

WINDS OF CHANGE: Darius Danesh Is Rhett Butler at the New London TheatreBritish Iranian Darius Danesh has been cast as 'Rhett Butler' in Trevor Nunn's musical production of Margaret Mitchell's classic novel, Gone With The Wind, which opens at the New London Theatre 22 April 2008, following previews from 4 April  booking (*) to 27 Sep 2008. -Darius KADIVAR - 2/18/08

The Current State of Affairs in IranMahmoud Ahmadinejad's rise to the presidency of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 2005 was the result of at least two interrelated factors: first, the US occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq, which meant that an increasingly isolated Iran could end up as George W. Bush's third target for regime change in the Middle East, thus necessitating the rise to power of a Revolutionary Guardsman -Jalal Alavi - 2/18/08

Ebrahim Yazdi: An Iranian Revolutionary, Dismayed but Unbowed Iran is learning democracy, he said, because democracy is a learning process. Nobody will learn in a classroom. Democracy is not a commodity to be imported. America doesnt carry democracy in its soldiers rucksacks. Democracy should come from within, through our own challenges and experiences. -New York Times - 2/17/08

A message to Iranians: In response to the New York Times A short February 4th, 2008 editorial in the New York Times (NYT) insert of the German "Süddeutsche" newspaper, entitled "How to Deal With Iran," criticizes the U.S. administration for not being resolute in its approach to Iran, i.e. not making a "grand gesture" to Iran, a code phrase for coercing Iran into a compromise, the details of which casually undisclosed. -Kuros Yalpani, Munich/Germany - 2/17/08

Women in the Middle East and North Africa: A BibliographyReference Corporation, the premier publisher of area studies bibliographies in the English language, including Middle East Abstracts & Index, is providing its two-volume, 1500-page bibliography on women in the Middle East and North Africa available for free download in two PDF files. - 2/17/08

Iranian silk strung harp revivedTehrani artist Siamak Mehrdad has renewed the practice of using silk strings for the Iranian harp, a tradition which had been set aside for about 150 years. -MNA - 2/17/08

Photos: Snowman Festival in Hamedan, IranHamadan or Hamedan is the capital city of Hamadan Province of Iran. It had an estimated population of 550,284 in 2005. Hamedan is believed to be amongst the oldest Iranian cities and one of the oldest in the world. - 2/16/08

Piracy untunes "Santur Player"The producer of the controversial film "The Santur Player" faced the nightmare of piracy when he saw bootleg CDs of the film on sale in Tehran's black market last week. -MNA - 2/16/08

Iraqi FM: Some 200 MKO members leave IraqIraq's Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said on Saturday that some 200 members of the outlawed grouplet called Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) have left Iraq in recent days. -IRNA - 2/16/08

PAF presents Weaving the Common Thread: Perspectives from Iranian Artists in New York In its third successful year as an organization devoted to providing a platform for Persian artists and visionaries, Persian Arts Festival (PAF) has joined forces with the Queens Museum of Art (QMA) to present a groundbreaking exhibition, Weaving the Common Thread, that investigates how contemporary Persian art has been influenced and inspired by the post-revolutionary Iranian Diaspora. - 2/15/08

NIAC Workshops: Learn how to Influence PolicyAs the 2008 election season heats up, NIAC is conducting workshops in cities around the country to educate the Iranian American community on how to influence policy makers and impact the American political process. - 2/15/08

Syria 'to name Mughniyeh killer'Speaking after meeting his Iranian counterpart in Damascus, Mr Moualem said the Syrian security services had devoted huge resources to their investigation into "this despicable crime" and would soon unmask the killer. -BBC - 2/15/08

Parvin Ardalan Wins the Olof Palme 2007 awardWith great joy and absolute delight, we learned that our dear friend Parvin Ardalan has won the Olof Palme Award for 2007. This award is given for an outstanding achievement in the spirit of Olof Palme, the late Swedish prime minister who was assassinated in 1986. -Syma Sayyah, Tehran - 2/14/08

Iran jumps two spots in FIFA ranking Iran moves up two places to 39th in the FIFA ranking, but stands third in Asia after Australia jumped 10 spots to the 38th position. -Press TV - 2/14/08

Iranians Scheme to Elude SanctionsTough sanctions haven't brought Iran to its knees, but they're rewriting how business is done in the Middle East's second-largest economy. -FARNAZ FASSIHI, Tehran - 2/14/08

Iran: Women's Activist Wins Human Rights AwardParvin Ardalan, a leading Iranian women's rights activist, has won the Palme Award for her work and commitment to human rights. Ardalan is a founder and active member of the One Million Signature Campaign, a movement that aims to promote equal rights for women in Iranian society. -RFE - 2/14/08

Iranian women win taekwondo titleIran has taken the championship in the international female taekwondo competitions held in the city of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran. -Press TV - 2/14/08

Azerbaijan: Energy-Rich, And Hungry For MoreIt's an era of prosperity for the former Soviet republic. The country's budget is brimming with oil and gas revenues, and officials are feeling expansive. One billion dollars has been earmarked for defense; another $10 billion is being held for civilian initiatives. -RFE - 2/14/08

Neo-cons on the run In the post-cold war period, after the collapse of the U.S.S.R when the United States claimed the status of the only superpower and acted as one by unilaterally invading the countries of Afghanistan and Iraq, the neocons who were schooled in the art of campaigns against socialism, national liberation and working class struggle in Europe and Asia, found fertile ground in two commanding posts -Ardeshir Ommani - 2/14/08

Putin: Russia Will Target Former Satellites If NecessaryRussian President Vladimir Putin has again warned that Russian missiles will be pointed at Ukraine, the Czech Republic and Poland if those countries allow U.S. missile defense facilities to be deployed within their borders. -VOA - 2/14/08

Iran bans five websitesIran's ever watchful authorities have long kept close ties on the internet but now they have surpassed themselves by ordering the closure of five websites in a single day. -Guardian - 2/14/08

Persian-speakers to Rally in LondonPersian-speakers of Britain are planning to hold a rally in front of the Afghan Embassy in London coming Friday (15 February) in protest against the Afghan Culture Ministry's decision to reprimand a journalist for using Persian words in his report. The rally is being organized by Persian-speaking Afghanistani nationals in London. -Tajikistan Web - 2/14/08

Remembering IR-655: Shot down over Persian GulfOn Sunday July 3, 1988, Iran Air Flight 655 (IR655), a commercial flight operated from Bandar Abbas, Iran to Dubai, was shot down by the U.S. Navy guided missile cruiser USS Vincennes between Bandar Abbas and Dubai, killing all 290 passengers and crew aboard, including 38 non-Iranians and 66 children, 8 of them less than 2 years old. -Ahmad Nadalian - 2/13/08

"Iran, Seven Faces of a Civilization" wins acclaimProducers of the book and film "Iran, Seven Faces of a Civilization" were honored in a ceremony held at the Restoration and Renovation Research Center of the Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Organization (CHTHO) on Wednesday. - 2/13/08

Iran accounts for 13.53% of OPEC supplyFor the time being, Iran's oil consumption is 3.752 billion barrels per day, and taking an average growth of 5.6 percent into account per year, the consumption would reach the production by 2025 -MNA - 2/13/08

West seeking to undermine Mideast security: RafsanjaniExpediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has warned of the Western powers' efforts to undermine the security in the Middle East that has been established through regional countries' cooperation. -MNA - 2/13/08

Russia Warns of New Arms Race in Outer SpaceRussia is warning of a new arms race if a treaty banning the deployment of weapons in outer space is not achieved. Russia and China have jointly presented a draft treaty to the U.N. Conference on Disarmament that would prohibit the deployment of weapons in space and the threat or use of force against satellites or other spacecraft. -VOA - 2/13/08

IRAN: Fishing In Troubled Caspian WatersThe unresolved issue of dividing the Caspian Sea among its five littoral states has become a sensitive one for many Iranians who allege a concession to Russia may be in the making by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejadfs government, in return for supporting Iranfs nuclear policies. -Kimia Sanati, IPS - 2/12/08

Iran: Dissidents See Dark Legacy Of 'Glorious Revolution'Thousands of Iranians have turned out for rallies to mark the day 29 years ago when the U.S.-backed shah of Iran was toppled. It's called the "Glorious Victory of the Islamic Revolution." But not everyone looks back on it as a glorious time for Iran. -RFE - 2/12/08

Many in Iran bear the U.S. no ill willWhen the shah ruled Iran, the Westernized elite would enjoy Hollywood movies at a small theater in the center of the city. Today, that theater is an Islamic cultural center and a meeting place for fundamentalists. -IHT - 2/12/08

Iran-US talks on Iraq to be held in BaghdadIran's ambassador to Iraq, who attended two rounds of trilateral talks between Washington, Tehran and Baghdad about security in Iraq, said the US has asked for Iran's help to exit Iraq. -IRNA - 2/12/08

Iran's carpet exports down by 80 percent since 1995The chief of Tehran Carpet Sellers Union said that Iran's carpet exports have dropped by 80 percent during the current year compared with 1995. The values of carpet exports has dropped from 1.6 billion dollar in 1994 to dlrs 450 million now, Ahmad Sadeqi said. - 2/12/08

Iran to launch investment banksHead of Iran's Privatization Organization Gholam-Reza Heidari Kord-Zangeneh Iran is to launch three investment banks for the first time next month, aimed to bypass US restrictions on the nation's financial sector. - 2/12/08

Berlin's trade stance against Tehran hardensGermany is cracking down on business with Iran far more systematically than suspected, unpublished figures from the economics ministry showed yesterday. -Financial Times - 2/12/08

Iran's Clerical Old Guard Being Pushed AsideAfter Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's followers toppled a U.S.-backed autocracy in Iran, he brought to power a coterie of politically engaged clerics who sought to create the world's first Islamic republic. Nearly 30 years later, a new generation of politicians is sweeping aside those clerics, many of whom had become proponents of better relations with the West and gradual steps toward greater democracy. -Washington Post - 2/12/08

Soccer unites Iranian, German women in documentaryA dogged desire for equality and freedom -- at least for 90 minutes -- is at the heart of a documentary about a football match between the Iranian women's soccer team and a Berlin girls' squad in Tehran in 2006. -Reuters - 2/12/08

When "great" scholars play a deadly roleAs I read through the pages of history books, I came to conclude that the advice of "wise men and women," foreign experts on Iran and its politics, had played a role in the decision of the major powers, Great Britain and the US, to bring Mossadegh down. Various names come to mind: Zahner, Wilber, and Lambton. Robin Zahner, who was at Oxford, and fluent in Persian became a major player in this scheme. -Fariba Amini - 2/11/08

Ahmadinejad: The Secret History of Iran's Radical Leader by Kasra NajiMany of you may not know that a new book by Kasra Naji has been published. Kasra, an old friend of ours, has worked as a journalist for major news media such as The Guardian, LA Times, The Economist, BBC, The Financial Times, CNN, ABC and many others about the Middle East and Asia. -Syma Sayyah, Tehran - 2/11/08

Pixar's Rat Beats Sony's Princess at Annie Awards gourmet rat was the big cheese at the 35th celebration, winning 9 Annie Awards. Honoring the best in animation for 2007, the annual gala event was held on February 8, 2008 at UCLA's Royce Hall. -Darius KADIVAR - 2/11/08

The Other IranIf youfre going to get lost, Esfahan (also spelled Isfahan), a city of 1.3 million about 200 miles south of Tehran in central Iran, is an extraordinary place to do it. Therefs a centuries-old saying that Esfahan is ghalf the world,h meaning it contains fully half of the earthfs wonders. -James Vlahos, New York Times - 2/11/08

Fajr filmfest award winner "Child of the Earth" reviewedMohammad-Ali Ahangar's "Child of the Earth" was reviewed during a meeting at the Sahra Cinema on February 10. Screened at the 26th Fajr International Film Festival, "Child of the Earth" was awarded best screenplay in the festival's international section. - 2/11/08

Reza Pahlavi: Neo-Con AssetOnce again the neo-cons have given Reza Pahlavi a platform, but it is not clear who the intended audience is. The feigned altruistic appeal in his speech bears an eerie resemblance to the rehearsed Iraqi appeals before that country was invaded. - 2/11/08

Accept That the Regime in Iran Is Here To Stay Many respectable experts on Iran, prominent among them Americans, Israelis and Iranians-in-exile, believe they know how to replace the theocratic regime in Tehran with something far more benign and friendly...Yet the simplest indication that regime change efforts against Tehran donft work is the fact that for nearly 30 years they havenft worked. -Yossi Alpher, Forward - 2/11/08

My hols: Omid DjaliliOmid Djalili, 42, was born in London to Iranian parents and is now acclaimed as one of Britains finest stand-up comedians. -TIMES Online, UK - 2/11/08

Does Iranian Government Fear Educated Women?Who's afraid of girls? The Iranian government, it seems. Recent years have seen a dramatic rise in the number of Iranian girls enrolling in universities and other institutions of higher education. While many governments would see this as a blessing worth boasting about, that's not the case in Iran. -RFE - 2/10/08

Iran to Privatize $90 bln of Energy AssetsIran plans to privatize 47 firms in its energy sector worth $90 billion and set up a holding company for these assets which it will list on four international exchanges, a National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) executive said. -Fars News - 2/10/08

A Strike in the DarkSometime after midnight on September 6, 2007, at least four low-flying Israeli Air Force fighters crossed into Syrian airspace and carried out a secret bombing mission on the banks of the Euphrates River, about ninety miles north of the Iraq border. -Seymour M. Hersh, New Yorker - 2/10/08

Tajik President Wraps up Iran visitRakhmon had arrived in Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport on Saturday and was welcomed by Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on arrival. He was accorded an official reception by his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday morning. - 2/10/08

Censure forces withdrawn of "Tambourine" from 26th Fajr Film FestivalThe movie which is an entry in the national competition section of the gala was screened once on Thursday at the Felestin cinema hall when it was warmly received by viewers, producer Jamal Sadatian told Mehr News Agency, adding that its Friday screening at the Farhang cinema was canceled by cultural officials. - 2/9/08

"A Light in the Fog" highlights waiting: directorThe subject of waiting is focused on in "A Light in the Fog", director Panahbarkhoda Rezaii said. "The main themes of the film are waiting and man's loneliness which have been painstakingly depicted in fascinating natural landscapes," Rezaii stated. - 2/9/08

Iran to create ME largest trade, tourist center by 2010The largest commercial, recreational and tourist complex throughout the Middle East named Khalij-e Fars (the Persian Gulf), costing some 500 million dollars will be inaugurated by the early 2010 in the city of Shiraz, southern Iran, said the managing director of the project on Saturday. - 2/9/08

INTERVIEW: An Iranian journalist speaks out against censorshipThings haven't been easy for Arash Sigarchi. At the age of 27, he was sent to prison for writing articles criticizing the leader of the Islamic Republic and aspects of life in Iran. He was first sentenced to 14 years, charged with "insulting Mr. Khamenei in his writings, collaboration with hostile governments, giving interviews to foreign media, and incitement of the public mind." - 2/8/08

Iranian Alliances Across Borders' 2nd Annual Essay ContestThe Essay Contest aims to encourage writers and readers alike to think about issues that are important to hyphenated Iranians as individuals, as members of the Diaspora community and as members of the global community at large. - 2/8/08

NIAC Protests Google's Use of Divisive Terms for the Persian Gulf NIAC has protested Googles inclusion of the politically divisive term Arabian Gulf on its application Google Earth. Historically, the usage of this term for the Persian Gulf has been led by pan-Arab figures such as Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser and Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to rally the Arab masses against the non-Arab peoples in the Middle East. - 2/8/08

Iranian-Americans Seek Least-Hawkish CandidateJaded toward their government back home and cynical of the current U.S. administration and the Republicans they historically supported, a new generation of Iranian-Americans appears to be looking to Barack Obama to bring about change, especially with regards to U.S. foreign policy toward Iran. -Omid Memarian, IPS - 2/8/08

Iran to build second nuclear power plantIran has started to build the second nuclear power plant. Iranian ambassador to Russia Gholam Reza Ansari said now Iran needs to think of ways for providing the new power plant with required nuclear fuel. - 2/8/08

Iran: 'Hardened Drinker' Faces Death PenaltyThe man -- identified only by his first name, Mohsen -- was reportedly sentenced to death after a Tehran court judged him a "hardened and incorrigible drinker." Iranian media reported that a second Tehran court is currently deciding whether Mohsen should be executed. - 2/8/08

A Nuclear-Free MirageThe Middle East cannot be freed from weapons of mass destruction unless the US turns the spotlight on Israel -Dilip Hiro, Guardian - 2/8/08

Waterboarding Is Legal, White House SaysThe White House said Wednesday that the widely condemned interrogation technique known as waterboarding is legal and that President Bush could authorize the CIA to resume using the simulated-drowning method under extraordinary circumstances. -Los Angeles Times - 2/8/08

What next for the Bhutto clan?Nieman fellow Iason Athanasiadis examines the Bhutto dynasty amid the chaos and foreboding of life in Pakistan, with a focus on Fatima Bhutto, a niece of Benazir Bhutto. What role might she play in her countryfs future? - 2/7/08

Illinois Town Rejects War With Iran by 4-to-1 MarginBy a four-to-one margin, voters in Urbana, Illinois approved on Tuesday a referendum calling on Congress to act to prevent war with Iran. The vote was 5,681, or 81%, in favor, with 1,364, or 19%, opposed. - 2/7/08

Iran: Blessed FoodFor many Muslims one of the most poignant rituals connected with the month of mourning, Moharram, is the free distribution of food. During this period, a businessman from Tehran, Haji Loloi, offers food to some 1500 families. - 2/7/08

Iran Judiciary chief bans detention without formal charges It further referred to Ayatollah Shahroudi's decree as saying "Refrain from summoning people without pressing charges. Refrain from holding people under arrest without pressing charges. Refrain from granting bail without pressing charges." -IRNA - 2/7/08

Bold diplomacy needed with IranIf you want to see why our nation's policy on Iran has failed, look no further than a revealing episode at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. -Senator Dianne Feinstein - 2/7/08

Turkey Moves to Lift Ban on HeadscarvesTurkey's Islamic-rooted ruling Justice and Development party has won the first of two votes in parliament to change the country's constitution to lift a ban on the wearing of religious headscarves at universities. The move is proving deeply controversial with opponents of the reform who argue it threatens the secular foundation of Turkey. -VOA - 2/7/08

US Aid for Russia Linked to IranA U.S. program to keep Russian scientists from providing nuclear expertise to terrorists has funded research facilities that have helped Iran build its new nuclear power reactor, a congressional committee says, citing Russian sources. -AP - 2/7/08

Curtains up on "Theater for All" Fajr festivalCurtains went up for the 26th Fajr International Theater Festival in Tehran as the opening ceremony was held at the mausoleum of the Founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini, on Wednesday with the motto "Theater for All". -MNA - 2/6/08

Iran sets oil production record: Oil MinisterIran on February 5 set an oil production record during the post-revolution era by pumping 4.184 million barrels crude oil, Oil Minister Gholam-Hossein Nozari said on Wednesday. -IRNA - 2/6/08

Caspian: Baku-Ashgabat Thaw Could Have Energy Impact Plans have existed for more than a decade to build trans-Caspian pipelines to bring oil and gas to markets in Europe -- and lessen Western dependence on Russian supply routes. Cool relations between Baku and Ashgabat, among other problems, have prevented those blueprints from becoming reality. -RFE - 2/6/08

UK not convinced at claim MKO has renounced terrorismForeign Office Minister Lord Malloch-Brown says that the British government is not convinced at that the Mujahideen-e Khalq has given up terrorism, saying its forced disarmament by US forces was "entirely pragmatic." - 2/6/08

Terrorism Awareness IndeedThe U.S. State Department officially considers the Mujahedeen-e Khalq (MEK) a Foreign Terrorist Organization. While those honors date back to 1994, theyve been renewed during the Bush years. Indeed in 2003 Foggy Bottom went further, including the National Council of Resistance of Iran  an MEK alias  under the terrorist designation. -Ourfuture,org - 2/6/08

Why the Saudis aren't lifting a finger to ease oil pricesHere's one of the most important puzzles of global oil security: Since the late 1970s, Saudi Arabia has pumped the market with oil, fearing that high prices could hurt global growth, reduce demand for Saudi oil, and anger its protector, Uncle Sam. -CSM - 2/6/08

Mahdokht Khanboluki: A lovely princess with chic silenceOne of the best things that happened to me toward the end of the year was to come to know a lady painter who just paints for the love of it. I had seen an example of her work in the restaurant at the Artists Forum and asked for her contact details, and last month I went to meet Ms Mahdokht Khanboluki at her house and was impressed with the warmth of her works. -Syma Sayyah, Tehran - 2/5/08

Bank Of The South: A potential new challenge to hegemonic global finance and its monetary terrorismNational identity, along with political and economic democracy are essential ingredients of a society that is sustainable across time and space. On the other hand, economic dependency, political powerlessness and alienation, along with the absence of democracy, create vulnerabilities for internal and external plunder and exploitation. Accordingly, in the post-colonial societies of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the struggle today is to maintain a semblance of a genuinely independent socio-economic and political structure. -Mehdi S. Shariati - 2/5/08

Freedom in Love is One-SidedI enter the Metro station. Like always, I am confused by the many entrances. When I finally find my way, I have to run to make it on to the train. I am so tired, that I am unable to stand. I join a group of other women and we sit on the floor of the women only car -Nafiseh Azad - 2/5/08

Iran: More reformist candidates have been rejected"In many of constituencies, a lot of reformist candidates who had been endorsed by the administrative commissions, have been disqualified by the supervisory commissions at this stage," Safdar Hosseini, chairman of the provincial committee of the Reformists Coalition, told the Iranian Students News Agency on Monday. - 2/5/08

Iran, Iraq call for expansion of energy cooperationIraqi Minister of Electricity Karim Wahid Hassan, who is in Tehran at the head of a delegation for talks with Iranian officials, in a meeting with Iranian Energy Minister Parviz Fattah, called on Iran to increase cooperation and investment in the field of power and energy in Iraq. -IRNA - 2/5/08

Iranian internet users number 18 millionThe number of Iranians having access to Internet amounts 18 million connecting from homes, universities, or via the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) of cell phones - 2/5/08

Clemente Ready to Lead Iran's National Team"My presence in Tehran indicates that I am ready to sign a contract with Iran's Football Federation (IFF)," the much awaited coach Clemente told reporters after he landed at the Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKIA) in Tehran late Saturday. - 2/4/08

BOOK: Paris Chic, Tehran Thrills: Aesthetic Bodies, Political SubjectsIn this fascinating and unique book, Alexandru Balasescu explores questions of Islamic dress, modernity and public space in Paris and Tehran. How are we to understand the exclusion of the Islamic dress from public space in France if, at the same time, trendy French women and wealthy Middle Eastern tourists shop for designer-label hijab, apparently accepting its conversion into a (depoliticited, deracinated) commodity? - 2/4/08

Kiarostami Gets Operatic!Abbas Kiarostami will be directing an Opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart next July entitled "Cosi fan tutte" aka Thus Do They All de Mozart for the 60th Annual of the International Festival of Lyrical Art in France's d'Aix-en-Provence. -Darius KADIVAR - 2/4/08

A World Without IslamImagine, if you will, a world without Islamadmittedly an almost inconceivable state of affairs given its charged centrality in our daily news headlines. Islam seems to lie behind a broad range of international disorders: suicide attacks, car bombings, military occupations, resistance struggles, riots, fatwas, jihads, guerrilla warfare, threatening videos, and 9/11 itself. -Foreign Policy - 2/4/08

Looking Middle Eastern? You need not apply, need not travel, and so, need not existAs we are once again overwhelmed with the barrage of political campaign when the prospective all of a sudden remember there are constituencies to whom they direly depend on for votes, it is fitting to present another perspective on certain government xenophobic discriminatory practices and profiling that have by and large remained uncovered in the "mainstream" media. -Pirouz Azadi - 2/4/08

Fajr Film Fest: Hejazi's debut movie "Amid the Clouds" under spotlightThe director, screenwriter Mohammadreza Gohari, cinematographer Farshad Mohammadi, actor Afshin Hashemi and actress Elnaz Shakerdust attended the session which was held to review the movie screened earlier that day for reporters at the Sahra Hall. The film is an entry in the national competition section of the 26th Fajr Film Festival. -MNA - 2/4/08

Iran President to visit EgyptThe Egyptian president Husni Mubarak has officially invited his Iranian counterpart to pay a visit to Cairo. - 2/4/08

AFGHANISTAN: Stop sale of children, rights watchdog saysThe recent sale of three Afghan girls in separate incidents by parents blaming extreme poverty for their actions has sparked concern about the safety of poor children in Afghanistan and the lack of adequate legal mechanisms to effectively curb such trade. -IRIN - 2/3/08

OIC foreign ministers hold emergency meetingForeign Ministers of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) member states opened an emergency meeting in Jeddah to discuss the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. - 2/3/08

West Gives False Democracies A PassWestern governments, eager to pursue their political or economic interests, too often reward self-proclaimed and flawed democracies that clearly abuse the political and civil rights of their citizens, according to the latest edition of Human Rights Watchs annual World Report released here Thursday. -Jim Lobe, IPS - 2/3/08

"In Memory of Kazem Ashtari" in BerkeleyKazem Ashtari, the Iranian film director, has died in a car crash, and now Mahin Ashtari, his wife, has to redefine herself after 30 years of marriage. This is a play about empowerment, revenge, sisterhood, and a lot more! - 2/2/08

No rejection for political persuasions: GC spokesman Guardians Council spokesperson Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaii has said if any parliamentary candidates have been rejected by the administrative commissions because of their political leanings, Guardians Council would bring them back to the election contest. -MNA - 2/2/08

Giving Israel a PassIrans roughly 25,000 Jews would have to sew a yellow strip of cloth on the front of their clothes, while Christians would wear red badges and Zoroastrians would be forced to wear blue cloth. ... -TruthDig - 2/2/08

Iran to build a road network in IndiaIran has stepped in to build a road network in India that will shorten the distance between Kabul and the Iranian port of Chahbahar by at least 800 km. -Mathaba, India - 2/2/08

Great Cold and Great ShameBut what has made me absolutely mad despite the roof and snow and traffic was the terrible news that Zanan (Women) Magazine has been closed down. I am not one of their regular readers but I know that it is one the best things in Iran, and as a citizen I am proud that we have such a good magazine. -Syma Sayyah, Tehran - 2/1/08

Happy Nowruz: Cooking with Children to Celebrate the Persian New YearNowruz--the Persian New Year--is one of the world's great festivals, a full month of activities celebrating the earth, the arrival of spring, and the rebirth of nature. Most of all, it is a festival for families. Children and adults alike can share in preparing special meals, decorating the house, and performing the many ceremonies that welcome the New Year. This book is a guide to customs thousands of years old yet as vital as ever--enjoyable for families no matter where they live or what their beliefs. - 2/1/08

Former Iranian Majlis Speaker Meets Egyptian PresidentNateq-Nuri, who currently serves as an advisor to the Supreme Leader Ahatollah Ali Khamenei, told reporters that the meeting was "friendly", and that they had agreed on exchanging more high-ranking delegations between the two countries. - 2/1/08

New analysis 'confirms' 1 million+ Iraq casualties Further survey work undertaken by ORB, in association with its research partner IIACSS, confirms our earlier estimate that over 1,000,000 Iraqi citizens have died as a result of the conflict which started in 2003. - 2/1/08

Defusing Tension with Iran While Promoting Regional StabilityDuring his remaining year in office, President Bush has to choose between defusing tensions with Iran while promoting regional stability, or, continuing his bellicose denunciation of Tehran, which could lead inadvertently or by design to violent conflict. -Alon Ben-Meir - 2/1/08